3:30 AM on February 7th, my world shattered. My brother, Adam Silbersweig, was taken from us without warning, leaving a silence so heavy it’s hard to breathe.

Adam was the center of so many lives. His two little boys, Jake (10) and Luke (7), adored him with every piece of their hearts. Their mother, Dana Katz, former wife of 15 years and friend of many more, shared a lifetime of love and memories with him. I lost my brother, my literal best friend and lifetime protector. Ethan and Callie lost the uncle who showed up for everything. EVERY DAY. Our parents, Ronnie and Barry, lost their first-born, their only son. His fiancée, Clarissa, lost the future they were building and the love of her life. And his loyal rescue dog, Sammy, lost his person.

Adam spent his life running toward people who needed help. As a lifeguard when he was a young adult, then a firefighter and paramedic with Palm Beach County Fire Department, and later with De Soto County Fire Rescue for more than a decade, he saved lives, comforted strangers, and gave everything he had to his community. His heart was enormous. His courage was constant. His loss is immeasurable.

Adam devoted his life to helping not only people, but animals who had no one else fighting for them. He took part in countless rescue missions, pulling animals from kill shelters, transporting them to safety, and opening his home to foster the ones who needed love the most. His compassion didn’t have boundaries; if a life needed saving, Adam showed up.

Now, the people and animals he loved most are left trying to navigate a world that no longer makes sense. Any amount you can give will help support Dana and the boys as they face life without their father; their hero. We want to lift even a small part of the weight from Dana’s shoulders as she tries to hold her family together through grief no one should ever have to bear.

Your donation will help with:

• College tuition and educational needs

• Medical insurance, medications, and grief therapy

• Summer camp so the boys have stability while Dana works year-round as a teacher

• Athletic expenses for the sports Adam loved cheering them on in

• Everyday costs of raising two growing boys alone

• Help at home so Dana can manage work, school, and the boys’ activities

• Income support when she needs to take unpaid leave to care for her children and herself

This support means more than words can express. It gives Jake and Luke a little more security in a world that suddenly feels so uncertain. It gives Dana room to breathe. And it honors Adam—the man who spent his life taking care of others—by taking care of the family he loved beyond measure.